T.N. Forest Department places orders for weapons worth ₹5 crore for wild boar culling, modernising weaponry

Tamil Nadu Forest Department orders ₹5 crore weapons for wild boar culling, modernizing force with rifles and pistols.

Tamil Nadu Forest Department has placed orders for weapons worth ₹5 crore to modernise the force, especially to meet the need for rifles for the government’s recent decision of regulated culling of wild boars.

Srinivas R. Reddy, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of the Forest Force, told The Hindu that orders have been placed for 123 rifles (.315 rifles) from the ordnance factory in West Bengal to be used for the culling of wild boars.

The ₹5 crore procurement also includes 19 pistols (9mm pistols) as part of modernising the weaponry of the department. The weapons and ammunition were being delivered, he said.

According to him, the order for .315 rifles was in addition to other models of rifles that are already available in the weaponry of the department in its forest divisions. The existing weaponry includes Glock 17 pistols, revolvers,.410 muskets, .315 rifles, bolt-action rifles and 7.62 rifles.

On Tuesday, the Forest Department organised a one-day training session for 91 foresters and forest guards at the Tamil Nadu Forest Academy (TNFA) in Coimbatore as the first phase of training the force for the wild boar culling programme. The participants were sensitised about the Government Order (GO) on controlled culling of wild pigs, their behaviour and other aspects. The Special Task Force and police personnel gave firing training for them at the Madukkarai shooting range in the evening.

“The training will be continued in all the forest circles. Staff in all the forest divisions will be sensitised and trained to handle different scenarios,” he said.

For the capturing of wild boars, which are found within the 3 km radius of forest boundary as per the GO, the department will be procuring capturing equipment in addition to the sets available with it.